Speculation: Toughness to Pittsburgh

[Smitty426]

Sam Bennett will be a Penguin. Book it.

Kinda want him in Jersey

 

[Kuznetsnow]

Lemieux would have been perfect for them

 

[LuLover96]

How about the highest scoring French born player in NHL history? Antoine Roussel could be yours at the low low price of literally anything!!

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Will they try to get Ryan Reaves again?

God I hope not, what a brutal trade

 

[Habs10025]

Marcus Foligno .

 

[JesusNPucks]

Interested in a PIT-DAL Oleksiak trade again? He’s a rental, solid top-4 D, and plenty tough.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Interested in a PIT-DAL Oleksiak trade again? He’s a rental, solid top-4 D, and plenty tough.

I'd absolutely love it but I don't see a fit with how the roster is currently constructed.

The Penguins should have never given Oleksiak up after how he played for them, but they currently have too many defensemen so I don't know how that would work. That even ignores that he has played even better with Dallas, it's just not a fit.

The Penguins re-acquiring Oleksiak would probably require both a Pettersson and a Ceci trade, which I don't think is realistic.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

"Backhand" Luke Glendening aka LGD. 2nd + b-level (C/LD prospect) seems to be the consensus for expected return. If a probable small bidding war for league leading FO% F, then possibly a late 1st, or 2nd+3rd. Tenacious as hell, solid vet leader, PK, FO, can play any F position, excellent bottom 6'er. Can play in top6 in a pinch for added energy/ugly goals, but not ideal. 100% heart & soul oozes character. Smart, irritating to play against, can draw penalties, mobile, physical, plays bigger than his size. etc. Shut down the Tyler Johnson line vs. TB in playoffs, with Kuch & Palat back in '15 iirc. If Kronwall doesn't get suspended for Gm.7 we may win that series. We were up & TB came back. LGD was instrumental.


Cheap/tough/PK/big/solid D/vet leaders/depth.
UFA's: (upto 50% retention negotiable)+ potential small expiring cap dump to facilitate for PITT.

Nemeth- 29yo, 230 lbs., 6'3". could be had for a 3rd possibly

Staal- 34yo, 209 lbs., 6'4". probably a 3rd or 4th. He's rebounded a bit this year, to our pleasant surprise.

 

[McSuper]

Oilers will listen to offers on Kassian.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

zadorov for a 1st

 

[Flyer lurker]

There have been a few interviews with Hextall and Burke and they appear to have a very common message: they want to address the team toughness of the Penguins if they get the chance. It's not that surprising, JR left the team as a pretty small and speedy forward group with a bunch of small and speedy puck movers on defense, so they do need to balance it out somewhat. But they have been adamant about this in quite a few articles:

Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates News, Live Coverage | DK Pittsburgh Sports
Penguins Hextall Says He’d Like to Add Toughness, But… | PHN+
Joe Starkey: For better or worse, the Penguins are about to get tougher

Both Hextall and Burke have been pretty adamant about this, so I think this is a safe bet. It would almost definitely be a forward, because they're absolutely jammed packed on defense right now (sadly my dream of Oleksiak coming back won't happen). So who do you think they could end up targeting? A few names that make sense to me:

-Brown, connection to Hextall
-Bennett, connection to Burke (IIRC Burke absolutely loves Bennett)
-Laughton, connection to Hextall (I can't imagine Philly trades him here but he would definitely fit)

I wouldn't hate a Laughton trade as pending ufa with this cluster F of an organization right now. But would Hexy trade a 2 and go 4 rounds without a pick? Not like him. And Flyers can't add a player you have to keep in ED.

 

[PettersonHughes]

How about the highest scoring French born player in NHL history? Antoine Roussel could be yours at the low low price of literally anything!!

1000%. Any of Roussel, Virtanen or Jordie Benn can be yours -- are either of Frederick Gaudreau or Aston-Reese available from the Penguins?

 

[TySmith4Norris]

1000%. Any of Roussel, Virtanen or Jordie Benn can be yours -- are either of Frederick Gaudreau or Aston-Reese available from the Penguins?

More likely they'd be moving picks and a spare part like Sceviour, Jankowski, Lafferty the other way

Would have to be a legitimate upgrade for those two to be part of the conversation, both have roles at the moment

Virtanen and Bennett seem like the two most obvious targets imo

 

[Gurglesons]

Roussel would be a solid add for PIT tbh. He fits their brand of “toughness”

 

[TySmith4Norris]

Roussel would be a solid add for PIT tbh. He fits their brand of “toughness”

Contract is an issue and he has a checkered playoff history, don't see it

 

[BattleLevel]

Can I interest you in a slightly used former 1st rounder Nathan “BooLoo” Bealieu?

He certainly is tough....to see in the lineup

 

[CartographerNo611]

Oliver from Nashville makes the most sense to me. He is pretty young and a solid fighter which Burkie loves. Also a a red head which Hextall loves. The cherry on top is Oliver is on a cheap contract which wont break the Penguins. Nashville can shake up the roster to test the waters to see if they need to make bigger moves and at the minimum clears out a roster spot for an added player. Low risk and no one loses.

 

[PettersonHughes]

More likely they'd be moving picks and a spare part like Sceviour, Jankowski, Lafferty the other way.
Would have to be a legitimate upgrade for those two to be part of the conversation, both have roles at the moment
Virtanen and Bennett seem like the two most obvious targets imo

Jankowski for Roussel? Does Mark even look somewhat capable or currently display 3rd line center upside? Read that he's currently the 4th line center and this trio is getting buried.

 

[TySmith4Norris]

Jankowski for Roussel? Does Mark even look somewhat capable or currently display 3rd line center upside? Read that he's currently the 4th line center and this trio is getting buried.

No interest in Roussel or his contract personally

Jankowski likely not in the lineup once it's healthy, has been outplayed by Gaudreau (who also fills his PK role)

Jankowski could probably be had for free, but most Pens fans would pay for you to take him. Pretty sure he won't have NHL offers this offseason

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

"Backhand" Luke Glendening aka LGD. 2nd + b-level (C/LD prospect) seems to be the consensus for expected return. If a probable small bidding war for league leading FO% F, then possibly a late 1st, or 2nd+3rd. Tenacious as hell, solid vet leader, PK, FO, can play any F position, excellent bottom 6'er. Can play in top6 in a pinch for added energy/ugly goals, but not ideal. 100% heart & soul oozes character. Smart, irritating to play against, can draw penalties, mobile, physical, plays bigger than his size. etc. Shut down the Tyler Johnson line vs. TB in playoffs, with Kuch & Palat back in '15 iirc. If Kronwall doesn't get suspended for Gm.7 we may win that series. We were up & TB came back. LGD was instrumental.


Cheap/tough/PK/big/solid D/vet leaders/depth.
UFA's: (upto 50% retention negotiable)+ potential small expiring cap dump to facilitate for PITT.

Nemeth- 29yo, 230 lbs., 6'3". could be had for a 3rd possibly

Staal- 34yo, 209 lbs., 6'4". probably a 3rd or 4th. He's rebounded a bit this year, to our pleasant surprise.

Johnson had 6 goals in 7 games against Detroit that year. Maybe the following year?

 

[DesertPenguin]

It's gonna have to be a middle 6 F, not a defenseman. Pens top line of Guentzel-Crosby-Rust is set. Malkin-Kapanen are dynamite and will be reunited when healthy. They need a 3rd wheel, and concensus is one of McCann or Zucker will go there. In the bottom 6, we really like Aston-Reese - Blueger - Tanev, but probably like them better as a 4th line or as a 3B with another, more offensively minded 3A. This acquisition will need to fit with whoever is left of McCann/Zucker on that 3A. McCann can play center or LW, Zucker only LW. As such we could really take any F position, they just need to be a solid 3rd liner who chips in on the scoreboard and has jam. W or C are both good options

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Johnson had 6 goals in 7 games against Detroit that year. Maybe the following year?

Whatever year was the 7 game series iirc. the 2nd year was 5gp I believe.

 

[CraigsList]

It's gonna have to be a middle 6 F, not a defenseman. Pens top line of Guentzel-Crosby-Rust is set. Malkin-Kapanen are dynamite and will be reunited when healthy. They need a 3rd wheel, and concensus is one of McCann or Zucker will go there. In the bottom 6, we really like Aston-Reese - Blueger - Tanev, but probably like them better as a 4th line or as a 3B with another, more offensively minded 3A. This acquisition will need to fit with whoever is left of McCann/Zucker on that 3A. McCann can play center or LW, Zucker only LW. As such we could really take any F position, they just need to be a solid 3rd liner who chips in on the scoreboard and has jam. W or C are both good options

Definitely sounds like a Bennett or Ryan acquisition. Personally I like Ryan as a fit for Pittsburgh.

 

[Son Goku]

Definitely sounds like a Bennett or Ryan acquisition. Personally I like Ryan as a fit for Pittsburgh.

Agreed

 

[OVO16]

Either Virtanen or Same Bennett will 100% be a Penguin by the deadline.

Maybe even both